Type-writing machine.



No. 667,773. Patented Feb. I2, |90I.

F. le.l HEATH.

TYPE wn a wlAclmaE.-

(Applieatio'n e Apr. 18, 1900.)

(N0 MUBL) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

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l ATTOR EY No. 667,773. K Patented Feb. I2, |90I. F. E. HEATH. TYPE WRITING MAcHlNE.

(Application led Apr. 18, 1900.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

l ATTORNEY WITNESSES TH: Nonms PETERS un. Pao

No. 667,773. Patented Feb. l2, 190|.

F. E. HEATH. l TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Application med Apr. 1s, 1900.)

' 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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No. 667,773. Patented Feb. I2, |90I.

F. E. HEATH. i TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Nu Model.) (Apphcamn med Apr le 1900) 4 Sheets-'Sheet 4.

Unirse STATES FRANK E. HEATH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TYPE=WRITING MACHINE.

PECFICr-'LTION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,778, dated February 12, 1901.

Application iiled April 18,1900. Serial No. 18,316. KNO model.)

To cl/Z 'LU/'writ t 'litany concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. HEATH, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York,boron gh of Manhattan, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Writing Maf' chines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to type-writing machines.

In general my improved machine is a compromise between what is known as the typewheel machines and those in which the type are individually movable for printing.

The invention comprehends a machine in which individually movable type are arranged upon a wheel, the wheel being rotatable upon its axis to bring the selected type into position for printing, at which position the wheel is locked while the printing mechanism operates to throw the selected type against the paper. The key action is uniform in all instances, the rst part of the stroke serving to rotate the wheel to bring the selected type into printing position and the latter part of the stroke accomplishing the printing.

My machine also includes a novel arrangement of the type upon the wheel, consisting in the location of the lower-ease types around a certain segmentof the periphery, the uppercase types around another segment thereof, and the numbers, punctuation-marks, and miscellaneous characters around a third segment of the wheel, the arrangement being such that each segment occupies one-third of the circumference. The machine will therefore be equipped with two shift-keys, one of which will make the upper-case types available, while the other will make the miscellaneous types available, the third or lower-ease types being normally available and not requiring a shift-key.

My invention also includes special mechanism foreffecting either typographie or uniform spacing at the will of the operator, as also certain details of construction, all of which will be fully hereinafter described.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a plan of my improved machine with parts broken away. Fig. 2 isa eentralsection from front to rear. Fig. 3 is a section looking downward along line 00 x of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on line y y of Fig. 2 looking forward. Fig. 5 is a detail of the shift-keys. Fig. 6 is a detail of the type-actuating devices. Fig. 7 shows two positions of a portion of the shifting mechanism for the type wheel or carrier. Fig. S is a detail of a part of the spacing mechanism. Fig. 9 is another det-ail of the spacing mechanism. Fig. l0 is a detail of the type-carrier. Fig. ll shows one of the types enlarged, and Fig. l2 illustrates modifications of the type.

A indicates the main frame of the machine, at about the center of which is mounted a vertical shaft B, projecting through the top plate of the frame and having a bearing at b and another at b', the latter being a socket, into which the reduced end b2 of the shaft projects. The upper end of the shaft has splined to it a dish-shaped wheel C, having arranged around its periphery in a horizontal plane a series of pins c or other supports, such as channels or sockets, upon each of which is mounted to slide a type cl. The under side of the type is provided with a groove similar in shape to the pins c, the latter being triangular or of a dovetail shape to insure a stable seat for the type, on which it may slide. Various shapes of the groove in the type, corresponding to dilerent shapes of pins, are shown in Fig. l2. The inner end of each .type has an upward projection d and the outer end has a downward projection d, the latter being V-shaped in front for the purpose of centering the type When printing,and its back being square and adapt.- ed to receive the impact of a hammer, as Will be hereinafter described in the printing operation. The character is shown at cl3 on the front end ofthe type. One-third of the rim of the wheel is occupied by characters of the lowercase, another third is occupied by characters of the upper case, and theremaining y third is occupied by numbers, punctuationmarks, and miscellaneous characters, or any othersnbdivision may beadopted. The Wheel is covered by a stationary plate e, conforming in shapethereto and having an annulargroove e, into which the lugs d project to hold the type in position on the wheel at all points eX- eept at the printing position, at which point IOO the groove runs into a radial passage-way e2, which permits a type to move outward from its normal position to print.

To effect the radial movement of the type for printing, there is placed in the groove of the frame at the printing position a sliding bar or hammer j', occupying a radial position immediately beneath the plane in which the type are moved. When a type has been brought to the printing position, the outer end of this hammer is immediately behind its lug d2. uThe inner end of the hammer is bent upward slightly and is pivoted to the linkf, which leads in an upwardly-inclined direction to a loose collar or other part movable with the shaft B, to which it is pivoted at f2. At the pivotal point, between the link f and the roller f, a roller f3 is inserted to roll upon the bottom of the groove in which the hammer rests. It will be seen that if the shaft is moved downward axially the link will be carried more nearly into line with the hammer, and the hammer will move outward radially to permit this motion and will carry the type with it against the paper.

' For inking the type the pad g is carried at the end of the bifurcated spring g', tiXed at g2, and passing therefrom on each side of the link and downwardly through an opening in the frame and then upwardly to a position immediately in front of the type. Apinf4 is attached to the linkf, and extending in both directions rests upon the two sides of the spring g. As the link approaches a horizontalr position in the printing operation the spring is depressed by the pin and the spring and the pad immediately after being struck by the face of the type are lowered out of the way of the type until it comes into contact with an inking-roller g3. The return of the link to its normal position permits the spring to rise to the position shown in Fig. 2, where it is ready to be struck by the next outwardlymoving type. The lugs d2 of the type normally extend into an annular groove or slot e3 in the top plate of the frame; but at the printing position this groove has a radial V- shaped socket e4, into which the forward face of the lug d2 fits, to thereby center the type just as it strikes the paper. To return a type after it has printed and after the hammer has been withdrawn, a small spring e5 is placed at the printing position and so located that it will be engaged by the forward side of the lug d when the type is thrust outward, the recoil of the spring serving to carry the type back. To permit of this downward movement of the shaft B to effect the printing operation, the shaft is free to slide through the upper bearing b and is held normally in its upper position by a spring h, in which position the shoulder at the lower end of the shaft is some distance above the bearing b', in which the reduced end of the shaft slides and rotates. The shaft can be thrust downward The spring h is su liicient to overcome the Weight of the shaft, and the shaft is normally locked in its upper position by means of a lever 7l and a bell-crank latch ft". The lever is pivoted at t2 and carries the fork i3 at its free end, which is provided with inwardly-turned pins i4, resting beneath a circular edge i5 on the shaft. The lever is normally sustained and the shaft held in its upper position by the latch fr", pivoted at 1'. The free end of the latch is held in engagement with a seat on the Linder side of the lever by the spring 727. A bar fig, attached to the latch, extends across the machine and is adapted to vbe engaged by the character-keys, as will hereinafter appear.

K indicates the key-levers. They are pivoted at K and held in the upper positions by the springs 7c. Each key is provided with an up wardly-extending hook c, no two of which are of the same length, but all being gradu- 'ated in length from one side of the machine to the other, as clearly shown in Fig. Ll. Arranged below the hooks and in a position to be struck thereby when the keys are depressed is a transverse bar l, attached to the bail Z', pivoted in the frame at Z2. Extensions Z3 of the bails lead forward and connect with each other in front of the shaft B. At the connectingpoint or immediately in front of the shaft the bails carry two rollers Z4 and Z, respectively, one extendingr rearward toward the shaft and the other extending forward. Each of the hooks 7c' has attached to it an vupwardly-extending thin rod k2, which passes through a perforation in a crossbar m, carried by two bails m and pivoted at m?. The upper end of each of the rods 71:2, above the cross-piece m, is provided with a nut or other enlargement 7c3, which will strike on the bar m when the rod is pulled downward. The position of the nuts ou the rods is diiferent in each case, they being gradually higher from one side to the other of the machine, and being lowest at that side of the machine at which the hooks 7o' are the highest or longest, the arrangement being such that the normal distance of any hook from the cross-bar Zadded to the distance of the corresponding nut from the cross-bar m is equal to the sum of these distances in every other case. The bails m' also approach ,and meet at a point immediately in front of the shaft B and carry rollers m3 and m4.

The shaft B carries two sets of spiral vanes, each consisting of three vanes o, o', and 02 and p, p', and p2. These vanes, in two sets, lead around the shaft in opposite directions, and they are of such diameter and easy pitch that when a pressure in a direction parallel to the shaft is brought to bear upon theiredges a strong tendency to rotate the shaft will be created. The roller l" is adapted to engage one of the lower set of vanes,while the roller m3 is adapted to engage one of the upper set of vanes. Only one vane can be acted upon by each roller at the same time, three vanes being provided to correspond with the num- IOO IIO

ber of type segments into which the typecarrying wheel is divided. If there were but two type-segments-say the lower-case characters on one half of the circumference of the wheel and the upper-case characters ou the ot-her half-there would be only two spirals in each set. As before stated, the spirals lead around the shaft in opposite directions, so that one of the rollers pressing downward against a vane would rotate the shaft in one direction, while the other roller in pressing downward upon a vane' would rotate the shaft in the opposite direction. Hence when both rollers are in engagement and pressing against their respective vanes the shaft is locked and can he turned in neither direction.

The function of the rollers l5 and m4 is to resist a lateral thrust of the vanes` against the rollers Z4 and m3, and for this purpose said rollers Z5 and m" roll against plates or tracks q and q, respectively, fixed vertically and attached tothe frame. All of the rollers have their surfaces milled in the direction of their axes, enabling them to grip the surfaces against which they act and insure positive movement. The working Vfaces of the vanes and tracks are also milled to insure rolling and prevent slipping when the downward pull ou the shaft is made, except a slight radial slip, which has no eect in rotating the shaft or wheel.

It will now be seen how the shaft and typewheel are rotated within the range of any one segment of type. The depression of a key causes its hook k and nut 7c3 to engage the respective cross-bars Z and m, depressing them, causing one of the rollers Z4 and m3 to engage its vane and rotate the shaft until the other roller comes in contact with its vane, whereupon the shaft and wheel become locked by the opposing forces, and in moving to this locked position the type corresponding to the key which creates the motion is brought to the printing' position. The type-wheel remains in the position to which it has been turned by a key, while the key returns, so that if the character is repeated by striking the same key the rollers simply travel downward together and come into contact with their respective vanes at the same instant, thus again locking` the wheel for the printing operation. lf a different keyis next operated, one of the rollers will strike its vane first and `move it until the other roller strikes its vane and again locks the wheel. After action upon the vanes the bails Z3 and m' are returned to their upper positions by the springs ZG and m5, respectively.

The paper-carriage consists of end brackets s, connected together by two rods s s, the brackets having feet provided with rollers S2, which run upon tracks S3, suitably attached to the frame of the machine. The cross-rods A shell s6, pivotally supported upon an upper cross-rod S7, is formed so that it touches the rubber sleeves on the frontand back rods s' to form grippingsurfaces, between which the sheet of paper is gripped and fed. The rods s', with their sleeves, can be rotated to feed the paper by means of the knob t, which carries the gearwheel tl, engaging with the two pinions t2 on the respective rods. The platen forming the backing for the paper when it is struck by the type consists of a plate r, of suitable material, supported in the shell s6 cn a cross-rod r. Immediately above is a curved paper-guide r2, underneath which the forward edge of the .paperleads and finally hangs over the guide r3. To insert the paper, the shell is turned in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, unt-il the edge of the platen is beyond the front rod S',in which position, owing to the eccentricity of the shell, the paper can be freely passed by hand between the rollers and the shell until it is finally caught under the guard r2, whereupon the shell can be returned by hand or allowed to be carried back by a spring. (Not shown.)

Any suitable line-spacing device may be used. For letter-spacing the carriage is provided with a rack w, with which engages a pinion w, fixed to a short shaft to2, passing through the frame and carrying a ratchetwheel w3, having fine teeth. An arm 204, loosely pivoted on the same shaft, carries a pawl 105, adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet-wheel and rotate it in the direction to move the carriage for spacing. When a key is struck, the pawl is to be carried forward the space of two or more teeth on the ratchetwheel, so that with the turn of the key the spring w willin acting on the pawland wheel :nove the carriage a distance corresponding to the number of teeth taken up by the pawl on its backward stroke. For uniform spacing the number of teeth of course will always be the same, but for typographical spacing, wherein the carriage must be fed a distance corresponding to the width of the type used, the number of teeth must vary. For returning the pawl the arm wl is provided on its under side with au inclined surface "L07, with which engages the upper end of a lever w8, attached to the shaft 109. Then this lever is swung forward, the arm and pawl are moved a corresponding distance. Consequently the number of teeth which the pawl shall take up on its return movement can be determined by the stroke of the lever ws. The pawlcarries a tailpiece fio, which strikes a pin w12 vat the end of the spacing stroke to prevent the tooth of the pawl from disengaging with the wheel, and thus allowing of independent movement of the wheel. Fixed to the axis of the lever are the forwardly-extending hails w10, between the forward ends of which is pivotally sustained a shaftj. This shaft is is provided with three wingsjjz, and jg and with a straight edge t7'4. The shaft extends through a slot in the side of the frame and IOO IIO

is provided with a knob j, by which it can be rotated to bring the straight edge j4 uppermost, so that all of the keys can act upon it and produce the same amount of movement in the pawl @U5 to effect uniform spacing. The wings j', jz, and js are for typographical spacing,and either of them can be thrown automatically into the uppermost position to be struck by the keys by the operation of a shift-key. The middle wingj2 is normally in position,because it controls the spacing for the lower-case type. The notches ji in its edge provide for different lengths of travel of the keys before they strike the wing, depending upon the amount of feed required for the individual letters.`

The sooner the key strikes the wing the greater will be the feed of the carriage. Since capital letters and the miscellaneous characters require different spacing from the lowercase letters, the wings j and js, which are notched to afford the proper spacing for the capitals and the miscellaneous characters, respectively, are automatically thrown into position when the type-wheel is shifted to bring the segment containing the capital or the segment containing the miscellaneous characters into operative position. The shift-keys are indicated by q2 and Q3. They are each provided with slots g4, upwardly inclined in opposite directions and arranged above an arm q, projecting from a hub qi, pivoted vertically in the frame and carrying also a gearsegment g8. It will be seen that when either of the shift-keys is pressed downward its slot Q5 will engage the arm Q6 and move it forward or backward, causing the segment to swing in a corresponding direction. 'lhe arm Q6 is normally locked in either position by a spring Q9, entering a notch on its under side, and this spring is removed by lugs Q10 on the keys when either of them is operated. The segment engages with a pinion u, formed on a sleeve u' surrounding the base of the shaft B. From this sleeve there are two posts u? and a3, projecting upward, and between which a radial pin a4, carried by said shaft plays, through an angle of one hundred and twenty degrees. The sleeve also carries two radial arms a5 and u, having upwardly-turning ends and standing one hundred and twenty degrees apart, one of which is adapted to be thrown immediately beneath a lug a7, carried by the shaft j, and the other beneath a lug u8, also carried by said shaft, but on its opposite side, depending upon which direction the sleeve is turned when the segment acts upon it. The inclination and length of the slots in the shiftkeys is such that a full stroke of the key will rotate the sleeve fa one hundred and twenty degrees. In this movement one of the posts u2 or a3 will strike the pin 'a4 and move the shaft B and type-wheel to a position where the types of a different segment of the typewheel will be brought into the same relative location with respect to the printing position as was occupied by the types in the segment which was previously in operative position.

At the same time that a new segment of types is brought around into operative position a new pair of vanes o and p are brought into operative position to be engaged by the rollers Z4 and m3. Let us assume that one of the shiftkeys has been operated and that the arm a5, for instance, has been thrown beneath the lug fai. While the shift-key is thus held down, the selected character-key is operated. In descending it iirst strikes upon the wingy`2 of the shaftj and carries said shaft downward, causing the lug u" to strike the arm a5 and rotate the shaft until wing j is brought beneath the character-key,which then regulates the final movement of the lever w8 by the depth of the notch beneath the particular key acting. Hence the shift-key not only brings a new set of type into operative position, but also readj usts the spacing mechanism to correspond with the type, and also brings a new set of type-selecting spiral vanes into operative position with respect to the rollers.

For ordinary spacing between words the key K2 is used. Tires 7a4 are attached to it and lead over guide-pulleys L35 to the ends of the bails w10.

In order to hold the spacing-shaft ,7' in its normal position with the middle Wingj2 u ppermost, one end of the shaft is provided with diametrically-placed lugs 7'6,one of which is held between springs j7,attached to one end of the bails w10. After the shaft has been shifted through the small angle necessary to bring one of the wings j'j uppermost, said wing is immediately returned by the action of the springs upon the lug, the lug not having meanwhile passed out of the embrace of the springs. When the shaft has been turned half-way around by the knobj5,tl1e second lug j is embraced by the springs to hold the shaft in position.

The entire mechanism and operation of the machine have now been described except that relating to the printing operation.

Each of the character-keys is provided with a hook n, which stands some distance above the crossbar s on the latch t. The iirst downward motion of a key is accompanied in whole or in partby a rotary movement of the type-wheel in selecting the type, the motion being caused by the action of the rollers upon the spirals. The motion ceases when both rollers come into contact with their respective spirals, and at about that instant the hook u strikes the cross-bar 'i8 and pulls the latch c" from beneath the lever t. In the further downward movement of the key a downward force is exerted upon the shaft B, due to the locked engagement of the two rollers, and the shaft is carried down until the shoulder on its lower end strikes against the bearing b. In this motion the collar on the upper end of the shaft carries the end of link f' down, causing the hammer f to carry the selected type against the paper. The first motion of the type carries its face against the inking-pad g,which is immediately thereafter IOO IIO

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withdrawn by the pin f1 pressing downward upon the spring g. At the recoil of the key the rollers Z4 and m3 are lifted by springs Z6 and m5, the shaft B is lifted by the spring h au d becomes locked by the return of the latch t" under the action of the spring t7, and finally the type itself is withdrawn bythe action of the spring e5. All parts are then in position for the selection and printing of another character.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a type-writing machine the combination of a type-wheel, a shaft therefor, two spiral vanes on said shaft leading around the same in opposite directions, a key-lever and connections between the lever and both vanes whereby the motion of the lever will serve to rotate the shaft to a looked position, substantially as described.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a type-wheel, a shaft therefor, two spiral vanes on said shaft leading around the same in opposite directions, devices moving parallel to the shaft and simultaneously engaging the respective vanes, and key-levers connected with said devices for moving the same, substantially as described.

3. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a type-carrying wheel, a shaft therefor, two spiral vanes on said shaft leadingin opposite directions around the same, devices adapted to move parallel to the shaft and to traverse the respective vanes, two levers or frames carrying the respective devices, and key levers having differential connections with said levers or frames, for the purpose set forth.

4. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a type-carrying wheel having a plurality of groups of characters arranged in successive segments around the periphery thereof, a shaft for said wheel, a plurality of spiral vanes on said shaft corresponding respectively with the groups of characters on the periphery of the wheel, a device adapted to operate against said vanes to rotate the shaft, character-keys controlling the movements of said devices and a shift-key adapted to bring a particular segment of type and its corresponding spiral vanes into operative position, substantially as described.

5. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a type-carrying wheel provided with movable type, a series of key-levers by which the respective type can be moved into printing position, a shaft for the wheel having an axial movement independent of the Wheel and means whereby said axial movement of the shaft will cause a type to be thrust outward for printing.

6. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a type-wheel provided with movable type on its periphery, a hammer located at the printing position and adapted to engage with and force outward any oneof the type, a shaft for said wheel having an axial ntovement independent thereof, connections between the shaft and the hammer whereby said independent. movement of the shaft will cause the type to be thrust outward for printing.

7. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a type-wheel carrying movable type, a sliding bar or hammer arranged to push the selected type outward, a shaft for the typewheel having axial movement independent of said wheel, a link pivoted at an angle to said bar or hammer and to the shaft whereby the said independent movement of the shaft will be transmitted to the bar or hammer for the purpose set forth.

8. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a type-carrying wheel provided with movable type, an inking-pad normally standing in front of the type at the printing position, means for pushing' said type outward to print, said means being also provided with a device for removing the inking-pad and an ink-fountain into contact with which the pad is at the same time carried.

9. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a type-carrying Wheel, a shaft therefor, having an axial movement independent of the wheel, means for rotating said shaft and controlled by the keys, means for moving said shaft axially also controlled by the keys and a latch operated by the keys to release said shaft and allow it to be moved axially after it has rotated, substantially as described.

l0. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a traveling paper-carriage, spacing devices therefor,a plurality of groups of type, typographie spacing devices adapted for the respective groups of type, shift-keys and means whereby a shift-key will simultaneously shift a group of type and its corresponding spacing mechanism into operative position.

ll. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a type-wheel, a shaft therefor, provided with a spiral vane, a device adaptedto move parallel with the shaft and against the spiral vane in order to rotate the shaft, a lateral support for said device to resist the side thrust of the spiral against the device and a series of key-levers adapted to act individually on said device, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK E. HEATH.

Witnesses;

WM. A. ROSENBAUM, JAMES S. DONNELLY.

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